Lymm Rugby Club - platform for greater success
As the Rugby World Cup 2015 approaches, there is one North-West rugby club which is hoping to build momentum for the future. Lymm Rugby Club has had its fair share of success since Jonny Wilkinson kicked that famous drop goal to win the Cup in 2003 but is positioned for even greater things.
Back in 2000, recognising the facilities at Crouchley Lane were inadequate for sustainable development, with just one pitch to play and train on, the spirited club members launched the Lymm Grass Roots Sports Appeal.
Real Community Sports Club
As a community amateur sports club, but with a great sense of purpose and ambition, funds of over £1 million were raised through activities as diverse as Car Boot sales, sponsored car washes, Race Nights, sponsored runs, ‘Search for a Star' nights, the Annual Christmas Panto and member donations.
A further 10 acres of farmland were subsequently bought and developed into four pitches, with the help of the RFU, which the four senior teams and the Mini, Junior and Colts section in particular, now benefit from.
Membership began to grow significantly and the club now boasts over 1,500 members, with over 450 aged between 5 and 18 years old. It is perhaps this area where the club is having most success as the players move up and through the Colts Academy, with many going on to play first team rugby.
Lymm RFC is a strictly amateur club but the first team has competed at National Level Five (North Three) for the last six seasons, against many semi-professional teams. This consistency and quality of performance is both a reflection of the professional training and coaching regime offered by the playing management and the desire by many players who have worked their way up the age ranges to play for their local, community club.
Can-do attitude
The club's ‘can-do' attitude was amply illustrated when 70 players aged 7 to 10 years old, and 130 parents and siblings, toured to Bahrain in 2007. The club has also built relations with Coimbra Rugby Club in Portugal and is the first English club to participate in the Portuguese leg of the European Beach Rugby tour in 2015.
The Lymm Colts Academy, set up in 2009, is now one of the most successful in the country with an incredible track record of success. Over this period the Under 19 and Under 17 teams, between them, have won the North West Colts League A division 5 times; the League Cup 5 times and the Cheshire Cup 7 times.
The Under 17 team won the National Cup in 2009 and the Under 19 team have won the ‘Cock of the North' Cup in four of the last five seasons, making them the best Under 19 Colts team in the North of England.
All this has not gone unnoticed by England RFU, Sale Sharks and other Premiership clubs who regularly reward Lymm players with England age group caps and professional contracts.
England caps
Players originating from Lymm include England International David Strettle, Sale Shark's Ross Harrison, with brothers Alex and James Mitchell this year both representing England at Under 19 and 20 levels, along with Mark Dixon and Joe Mc Grail who joined the Sale Academy.
They used to talk about the Welsh Fly Half conveyor belt but many are now looking closely at how and why Lymm Rugby Club is now also producing future England players.
Success on the rugby pitch, and in other areas, can only be maintained if the base club is sustainable and remains true to its grass roots heritage. All funds raised, rather than to pay players, is invested directly back into the facilities at Lymm Rugby Club, developing it as a community sports club.
Now offering squash, hockey and touch rugby, as an O2 Touch Centre, there are discussions to also incorporate tennis, cycling and running clubs with an ambition of becoming the sporting hub of the community.
Lymm Hockey Club for example, with nine senior teams and a host of junior teams, joined forces in 2006, and the Ladies First Team has won promotion for the last five years in succession.
Volunteers lead the way
The full range of fundraising activities by volunteers at Lymm RFC, is therefore set to continue for many years to come, to maintain the growth and momentum the club has enjoyed in the last ten years.
Leading the way has been the world famous annual Lymm Panto, now in its 30th consecutive year. However, recognising the demand, the club also took the initiative by erecting a huge summer marquee for the last five years, hosting corporate events for accountancy firm Deloitte and, in 2015, the Warrington Business Awards.
In addition members organised the annual ‘Posh Party on the Pitch', Sportsman's Evenings, the ‘Best of Lymm Panto' and Vaudeville Variety shows performed by the Panto cast and Ladies Lunches in conjunction with local schools, all to considerable acclaim.
The objective now is to build a new, state-of-the-art clubhouse and the re-named Lymm Grass Roots Clubhouse Appeal is steadily building momentum and funds.
The President of Lymm RFC, John Hopkinson, takes up the story. ‘We recognise how important it is to engage with the local community - we simply can't achieve our ambitions without them!
‘It is not about just rugby now, although that remains at our core. It is about taking a holistic, community perspective. We want to be as inclusive as possible and for everyone locally to feel proud and part of the success here.
Engaging the local community
‘For example we are now heavily involved with the annual summer Lymm Festival, the Lymm Round Table Fireworks Night, and help as much as we can with the fantastic Lymm Historic Transport Day.'
‘Businesses are also increasingly benefitting from sponsorship. The Business Doctors, a locally-based franchise, has sponsored the first team for two seasons now and their profile has increased significantly,' added John.
‘Warrington-based Bentley Motors, the local Toyota dealership, has sponsored the Lymm Colts Academy for five seasons and also gained great kudos in doing so. But in terms of Lymm Rugby Club's overall success this is only the start - we have created the platform for even greater success,' he said.
The objective now is to build a new, state-of-the-art clubhouse and the re-named Lymm Grass Roots Clubhouse Appeal is steadily building momentum and funds.
The Rugby World Cup in 2015 can only help Lymm Rugby Club in terms of profile and popularity of the sport, but John has a rallying cry. ‘We encourage everyone in the community to get involved with this great club, because we are destined for great things,' he added.
John Hopkinson concluded with a request. ‘We are looking at all avenues to raise a further £500k in the next six months. If you can help, or know someone who wants to help Lymm Rugby Club succeed please contact me at jhopkinson@live.com.'
Picture caption: Lymm Colts half backs Mark Dixon and Alex Mitchell capped for England at Under 19 age group.
Picture caption: The annual Lymm Panto - worth the membership fee alone!
ENDS
Note to editors:For more information on this press release please contactsimon@spa-group.co.ukor call 01925 755590